Jeon Hyun-moo Opens Up About Dating Rumors with 20-Year-Younger Announcer Hong Joo-yeon

In the latest episode of 요정재형 (Yeojeongjaehyeong), Jeon Hyun-moo candidly addressed the dating rumors surrounding him and KBS announcer Hong Joo-yeon, who is 20 years his junior. The episode aired on January 7, 2025, under the title 'From Unlikable to Adorable Troublemaker, Hyun-moo!!!!!!'.

During the show, Jeon Jae-hyung remarked on Jeon Hyun-moo's successful passing of media exams, to which Jeon Hyun-moo responded, 'When you watch news channels, the anchors are quite entertaining, but that culture didn't exist back then. I dreamed of a news atmosphere where jokes could be made, but in our country, there’s no middle ground.'

He humorously recounted how he was accepted by both 조선일보 (Chosun Ilbo) and YTN simultaneously, stating, 'Chosun Ilbo called me a week earlier, and the worst part was that they made me drink too much. I even threw up on the thigh of the editor-in-chief during a company dinner!' He added that he eventually left Chosun Ilbo to work as an anchor at YTN for three years because he loved broadcasting.

Jeon Hyun-moo explained his transition to KBS, saying, 'What I really wanted was to be an MC, not just an anchor. I was analyzing political issues, but I looked at figures like Yoo Jae-suk and Kang Ho-dong and thought, 'I can do that too.' It felt like I was wearing the wrong outfit as an anchor, so I took the public broadcasting exam.'

Upon joining KBS, he humorously noted that nine out of ten people were confused about his role, mistaking him for a staff member. He also shared that his colleagues from other channels included Kim Il-jung and Oh Sang-jin.

As the conversation shifted to his public persona, Jeon Hyun-moo admitted, 'I often had to write 'self-reflection' and 'apology' letters because of my antics, which made me quite unpopular at the time.' He also mentioned his memorable performances on shows like 스타골든벨 (Star Golden Bell), where he joked about dancing more to 'Lucifer' than SHINee.

The discussion then turned to his recent dating rumors with Hong Joo-yeon. Jeon Hyun-moo stated, 'I've been through so much that hearing people say, 'Another female announcer?' feels meaningless. It doesn't matter; these issues will eventually be overshadowed by new ones.' He expressed hope that the attention on Hong Joo-yeon would help her gain recognition, saying, 'If she becomes more known because of this, then that’s enough for me.'